-Advertisement- Demystifying (but not de-mistyfing) chick incubators. Believe it or not, incubation isn’t just an invention of the modern era. Historical records show that incubation of eggs was practiced in Ancient Egypt. Mud brick buildings, divided into chambers that were basically large ovens, were heated by burning straw, dung or charcoal. Temperature and ventilation were […]

Learn how to set-up your Cornish Cross broiler operation for versatility and efficiency. Anne Gordon shares her tips so your set up can reduce and even eliminate health issues and the sudden death “flip.” [Unless otherwise noted, all photos by author] Each spring and fall, I raise a batch of 25 Cornish Cross pullets. My feed […]

Learn more about quail meat and how to process your birds for home use or market from quail expert Alexandra Douglas. Quail have been (and are still) typically served in fancy restaurants as a delicacy. These days, folks like to know what’s in their food, and one of the best ways to do this is […]

Permaculture writer Jonathon Engels walks us through the basics of using chicken manure and a compost pile to make an outdoor water heater. With chickens comes manure, often in quantities and in places we’d rather not think about. But, make no mistake, chicken manure in the right—dare we say—hands is valuable stuff. Most of us […]

Open Sesame: Coop Doors that Open on Command Frank Hyman knows about DIY and being inventive. Here are some of his ideas for automatic chicken coop doors. The Basic Pop-Door One important goal for our chicken-keeping adventure was to continue enjoying two-week vacations a couple times a year. However, one common feature of most coops […]

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How do you make the most out of your chicken flock? Matthew Wilkinson shares his thoughtful and practical perspective on the difficult task of processing your chickens. Early Foraging Lessons In middle school, I was obsessed with the book Stalking the Wild Asparagus by Euell Gibbins. I’d rush home from school, grab the book, and […]

Want to start a chicken business? Liz Fulghum has fantastic suggestions to help you get set up. Keeping chickens can easily turn into a rather addictive hobby. If you have the space for it, it’s usually not long before a small flock turns into a larger flock. After all, it’s hard to resist the cute […]

There is a lot to consider when building your first coop. Here are 5 top ideas to consider from blogger Michele Cook. Chicken coops are easy to build. You can start with something pre-made like a shed or you can start from scratch. Either way there are a few things you will need to consider when […]

Learn Meredith Leigh’s method of butchering a chicken carcass into 8 pieces. Chicken Butchery Chicken is a great place to hone your cutting skills. We’ll cover the standard, eight-piece cut, and offer a slight variation, which will come in handy when you’re frying chicken. Wings Begin by removing the wings. Stretch the wing as far […]